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Driving back from Darien Lake's 5K this afternoon, I stopped on Richley Road, Darien, for these two photos.

Stan's Harley Davidson hosted a car and bike show today at its location on West Saile Drive. More than 100 classic cars and show-quality motorcycles were on display throughout the afternoon.

Above, Stafford resident Don McDonald with his 1932 Ford, "Lucky Lady." McDonald bought the car in 1957 for $250, which was not only a lot of money in 1957, but it was a lot of money for a 1932 Ford, which in some cases could be picked up for $50 in those days, McDonald said. Some of his friends teased him then about overpaying for the car, but it's worth substantially more now.

Darrell Mase, of Batavia with his '57 Ford. The continental kit on the back is painted with a tribute to a late friend.

Paul Horton, of Lockport, with a '31 Ford Roadster Pickup that he restored and rebuilt with the help of some friends.

John Peck was serving up hotdogs and hamburgers.

Our DSL service at our house has gone out. We have an appointment for a service call on Monday. I can tether my phone, and I can go up to the office if necessary, but Billie's ability to post anything until it's fixed is limited. Since I won't always be around, this could mean delays with breaking news posts, and even some things that we might normally post not getting posted at all.

More than 8,500 people showed up at Darien Lake Theme Park today for the Color Me Rad 5K Technicolor Run and Walk. The event, which benefits Special Olympics, puts participants through a course filled with "color bombs" -- storms of colored cornstarch.

Press release:

The New York State Senate yesterday passed the Nonprofit Revitalization Act (S5845), sponsored by Senator Michael Ranzenhofer (R-C-I, Amherst), that would – for the first time in 40 years – overhaul state laws that govern charities and other not-for-profit organizations.

“The state laws that apply to not-for-profits were enacted in 1969 and, since that time, there has been no comprehensive review and update --until now,” Senator Ranzenhofer said. “Millions of New Yorkers depend on not-for-profits to respond in times of emergency, provide health care, and offer vital community assistance, among many other services.

In listening to the concerns of these organizations and officials across the state, we have developed comprehensive legislation that will help the not-for-profit sector continue to fulfill its essential mission in a streamlined and cost-effective way, while also reducing the opportunities for fraud and financial abuse.”

More after the jump. Click on the headline to read more:

Not-for-profit organizations play a critical role in New York’s economy and account for one in every seven jobs in the state. There are more than 103,000 nonprofits in New York that employ 1.25 million people and generate billions of dollars in annual revenue.

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, Senator Ranzenhofer helped develop the Nonprofit Revitalization Act after extensive meetings with stakeholders and the convening of multiple public hearings to examine comprehensive amendments to the state’s Not-For-Profit Corporation Law.  The Law covers a diverse array of entities, including membership corporations, cemetery corporations, fire corporations, religious societies, medical societies, alumni corporations, historical societies, agricultural societies, trade organizations, as well as charitable organizations, hospitals and not-for-profit nursing homes. Many of these entities are also regulated by other state departments, including the Department of Health, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Education Department.

“Piecemeal changes over the years have created an antiquated and intrusive regulatory environment that has even caused some nonprofits to leave New York and incorporate in other states,” Senator Ranzenhofer said. “In addition, the heightened scrutiny due to a few publicized acts of fraud and financial abuse, the slow economic recovery, and recent weather-related disasters have presented unprecedented challenges for nonprofits. The time is right to cut red tape, ensure greater accountability, and make New York a truly business-friendly environment for these important organizations.”

The Nonprofit Revitalization Act reduces unnecessary, outdated, and costly burdens to help not-for-profit organizations focus resources on providing services. It will improve oversight of operations which will have the dual role of providing organizations with better financial management and increasing the public trust that donations and taxpayer funds are being put to proper use. Key provisions of the Act include:

• Reducing bureaucracy and costly requirements by amending rules governing not-for-profit property sales, mergers, corporate formations, and dissolutions to create a more welcoming environment for new not-for-profits and a more business-friendly environment for existing ones. It will also increase efficiency by modernizing board procedures, such as enabling not-for-profits to use e-mail and video technology for meetings, and allow boards to delegate the approval of small transactions to committees.

• Strengthening accountability and enhancing charitable governance by setting forth clearer expectations of board duties in key areas, such as providing better financial management and oversight over financial audits. It includes new provisions to limit and, when necessary, remedy self-dealing to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure transactions are performed in the organization’s best interest. Employees of a nonprofit will also be prohibited from serving as chair of the board to help promote clear lines of accountability between management and the board and ensure independent board leadership.

"New York’s nonprofit sector rivals any other in the nation, providing crucial services to families and institutions across the state,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “But for too long, it’s been hamstrung by red tape in some areas, while lacking oversight in others. Today’s vote, the first reform to our charities law in decades, will allow charities to do what they do best — powering our economy, supporting vulnerable citizens and our most treasured institutions, while helping prevent abuse. I am grateful to Senator Ranzenhofer, Assemblyman Brennan, Majority Leader Skelos and Speaker Silver for their leadership in guiding this bill to passage.”

Assemblyman James F. Brennan (D, Brooklyn), said: “The reform of the state’s Not-For-Profit corporation law was much-needed and long-overdue. This legislation represents the right balance between ridding the current law of unnecessary and burdensome requirements, strengthening the governance structures of nonprofit corporations and enhancing oversight over them. I am confident that this new law will make it easier for nonprofits to incorporate in this state.”

Susan K. Hager, president and CEO of United Way of New York State, said: “United Way of New York State commends Senator Ranzenhofer for his thoughtful and bipartisan approach to getting this bill passed. He and his staff spent countless hours talking with many stakeholders and holding three hearings around the state -- the very model for what a policymaking process should be. The end result is a compromise, which is not surprising, however this bill is a very welcome reboot of the state's not-for-profit corporation law. The bill's provisions, including a commonsense reclassifying of charities, a stronger role for boards of directors in financial oversight, permitting the use of e-communications, and simplifying the merger and consolidations process, among others, represent significant reforms, which United Way strongly supports.”

David  M. Schraver, New York State Bar Association president, said: “We commend Senator Ranzenhofer for recognizing that not-for-profit organizations play a vital role in our economy and the lives of all New Yorkers. This measure would make it more attractive to create nonprofits in New York rather than in other states. It would help nonprofits thrive -– by reducing government red tape while not compromising government oversight. The New York State Bar Association long has called for modernizing the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law. We congratulate Senator Ranzenhofer on his leadership.”

Jennifer Leonard, president and CEO at Rochester Area Community Foundation, said: “Daily, every New Yorker benefits from the hard work of countless nonprofit organizations. The Nonprofit Revitalization Act, developed by an innovative partnership of nonprofits and state government, modernizes outdated state laws to simplify operation and strengthen governance of our caring, creative, faith-based and educational institutions. We all stand to benefit from its passage.”

Michael Stoller, executive director of The Human Services Council, said: “The Human Services Council, representing the nonprofit human services sector in New York, is a longtime advocate of reform in the way New York State monitors and does business with the sector. We deeply appreciate the work of Attorney General Schneiderman, Senator Ranzenhofer, and their staffs in generating the political will to take this important step toward a more rational and efficient framework for governing nonprofits. We look forward to working with them, as well as with the Governor and the Comptroller, on further improvements.”

Peter J. Kiernan, chair of the New York State Law Revision Commission, said: “I salute Senator Ranzenhofer for his leadership in pursuing meaningful reform to the state’s Not-For-Profit Corporations Law. The Legislature’s passage of amendments to the outmoded statute represents progress for the over 100,000 not-for-profit corporations in New York. The Commission was pleased to participate in the process that led to the legislation and hopes the dialogue about reform will continue.”

The bill has passed the Assembly.

There is a fire alarm -- and smoke has been spotted coming from a custodian's closet -- in the Ontario Cottage of the New York State Vet's Home.

City Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 8:41 p.m.: A firefighter has gained entry to the closet and reports, "no fire."

A porch fire is reported at 14 Woodstock Gardens.

City Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 8:04 p.m.: Engine 11 on scene. Nothing showing.

UPDATE 8:05 p.m.: Fire located and fire is out.

UPDATE 8:11 p.m.: City fire back in service.

Kermit Arrington, town justice in Le Roy for more than 20 years, community booster for his entire life, was laid to rest today Machpelah Cemetery.

Press release:

Through financial support provided by National Fuel and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), the first class of 25 graduates received certificates as part of a workforce development program targeting the food processing industry.

Certificates were awarded to the graduates in Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt through RIT, basic dairy science and sanitation through Cornell University, as well as team building and OSHA training in a manufacturing environment through The BEST Center at Genesee Community College.

“This program is just another example of the high level of collaboration in our region between the public and private sectors and in this instance, our centers of higher education and food processing companies,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center. “If we are going to create a world-class industry cluster in the food processing industry, then we need to make sure our workforce is highly trained and educated.”

Cornell University’s Department of Food Science and Cornell Cooperative Extension has been a long-term resource to the food growing and dairy processing industry in Western NY.

“Workforce development is now a key to the growing industry and we are continuously developing and improving our training programs and accessibility to meet industry needs and to support economic development," said Tristan Zuber, Dairy Foods Processing Extension associate with Cornell University.

The first graduating class of 25 individuals was from a pool of 78 applications. Sixteen graduates were from Genesee County; three from Livingston County; two from Orleans and Monroe counties; and, one from Wyoming and Cattaraugus counties.

One graduate has been hired while 18 graduates will visit and tour Yancey’s Fancy, an artisan cheese maker in Corfu, as part of a job application project at the company. Alpina and Muller Quaker Dairy are also interviewing and considering the graduates at their yogurt manufacturing facility in the Genesee Agri-Business Park.

“This is just the first step in a process to ensure that as the food processing industry grows there is an ample supply of labor to fill jobs,” said John Jakubowski a workforce consultant hired by GCEDC. “The certificate program provides a short-term solution to fill a gap, but we need to continue working on a longer term plan so that people who want a career in food processing have the skills and training to be successful.”

As part of this process, Genesee Community College has asked the New York State Education Department to approve a two year Food Processing Technology associates degree. The program has already been approved by the GCC Board of Trustees and is now under review by the State University of New York as well as SED.

“While anticipating the implementation of GCC’s full credit Food Processing Technology program, The BEST Center will be offering three more sessions of the two-week, intensive certificate program,” said Lina LaMattina, director of Business Skills Training at The BEST Center. “We are also reaching out to numerous companies within all segments of the food industry to expand employment opportunities for the program participants. After a very successful first class, we are looking forward to the next session which starts September 23, 2013.”

Those interested in applying to be part of next training cohort should contact the Genesee County Career Center (One Stop) in the Eastown Plaza, 587 E. Main St., Suite 100, Batavia, (585) 344-2042. Applicants take ability tests in math and reading. If needed, assistance with these skills is available.


May 2013 GCEDC Food Processing Training Program Graduates (all of New York):

Craig Barnes – Le Roy
Dawn Czaja – Oakfield
Victor DiGregorio – Byron
Mark Ebersole – Mt. Morris
Mary Fulkerson – Rochester  
Jeffery German – Batavia
Laurie Gerstenslager – Delevan
Donna Heininger – Batavia  
Elizabeth Horner – Darien Center
Jeanne Jansch – Dansville
Kevin Jones – Batavia  
Sharon Joyce – Batavia 
Jake Kent III – Henrietta
Steven Lindsley – Warsaw
Donald Lowe – Batavia  
Catherine MacConnell – Bergen   
Jacob MacConnell – Bergen
David Minervino – Medina
Thomas Misisco – Pavilion  
John Mosher – Bergen
Rachel Neilans – Alexander
Elise Prevost – Leicester
Daniel Sobczak – Batavia
Paul Stack – Elba
Jamie Unger – Kent
 

Press release:

Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation (WROTBC), owner/operator of Batavia Downs has pledged its support of the Upstate New York Gaming Economic Development Act and the referendum that will be put to the citizens of New York State in November.

“This legislation keeps Batavia Downs Gaming as a vital partner to state and local governments,” said Michael Kane, president and CEO of WROTBC and Batavia Downs Gaming. “This act will allow us to continue providing good paying jobs and generating significant funding for schools and our municipalities. Governor Cuomo and the legislature recognize the significant contributions made by racetrack casinos in Western New York to state education funding and job creation.”

Genesee County saw no increase in the number of jobs based in the county year-over-year, May 2012 compared to May 2013, according to data just released by the NYS Labor Department.

In both months, the department counted 23,200 jobs based in Genesee County.

There was a 100-job increase from April 2013 to May 2013.

The County's May unemployment figures are not yet available, but the state's unemployment rate from one year to the next dropped from 8.6 percent to 7.6 percent.

New York as a whole added 85,700 jobs, increasing to 8,937,200 jobs in the state in May 2013.

For Genesee County, the total number of private sector jobs increased from 17,300 to 17,400.

Goods producing jobs remained unchanged at 4,000. Manufacturing jobs remained unchanged at 3,000. Service jobs remained unchanged at 19,200. Trade, transportation and utilities increased from 4,400 to 4,500. Government jobs decreased from 5,900 to 5,800.

New York Times: Taliban Talks Could Depend on Detainees

Press release:

“Today’s unfortunate defeat of the House Farm Bill speaks to the dysfunction in Washington that continues to stand in the way of solving real problems for real Americans.

Agriculture is a critical industry in New York’s 27th Congressional District, impacting our local residents far beyond those directly doing the hard work of farming. Our farmers and growers deserve a Congress that can come together and pass a long-term Farm Bill. It is essential to help our agricultural industry plan and prepare.

As  a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I remain committed to the work ahead to see a Farm Bill become law.” 

The Kiwanis Club of Batavia honored the top 10 seniors of Batavia High School during its weekly luncheon today.

Honorees were Jenna Mancuso, Niha Idrees, Alexis Logsdon, Andrea Raphael, Rachel Paige Henrici, Rebecca Zinni, Maria Robusto, Lindsay Wrobel, Mark Zinni and Zachary Hale.

Winning awards were Logsdon for citizenship, Samantha Mitchell for band, Wrobel for orchestera and Kaitlin Logsdon for chrous.

Last week the club honored the top 10 seniors from Notre Dame: Timothy Bergman, Ashleigh Cheverie, Margaret Marchese, Madison Cluck, Riley Norton, Jeongui Park, John Tipton, Grace Bergren, Julian Blackburn-Baskin, and Lindsay Hilburger. Awards were given to Peter Kehl, vocal, Cheverie, instrumental, and Bergren, citizenship.

UPDATE: Joe Scanlan e-mailed us pictures from last week's lunch with Notre Dame.

The Downtown Public Market opened today at the corner of Center and Ellicott.

Above, Eliza Schwab of Schwab Farms, Gasport.

Tiffany Ivison, Usborne Books.

Salters Alston, Alston's BBQ sauce. (Stop by for some pulled pork!)

At United Way's annual luncheon Wednesday, the agency announced annual award winners, named its new board of directors and revealed that $359,500 was raised in the past year.

The fundraising effort was $5,000 short of the agency's goal, but $3,000 over the previous year. Staff and volunteers are putting in a campaign-closeout effort to raise that last $5,000.

Co-chairs for the campaign were Charlie Cook and Dennis Burke of Liberty Pumps.

Award winners included: Cargill Animal Nutrition -- Outstanding Workplace Campaign; Liberty Pumps -- Outstanding Workplace Campaign; CASA for Children -- Partner of the Year; Chapin Manufacturing, Inc., -- Top Hat Award (Top Campaign – over $50,000).

O-At-Ka Milk Products won the Conable Award, which is given to a person or business who exemplifies a commitment to the United Way as demonstrated by Barber Conable. O-At-Ka raised more than $25,000 -- increasing their campaign by 50 percent from last year.

In the photo are representatives from O-At-Ka, Chapin, Liberty Pumps, and CASA for Children.

Information and photo provided by Erik Fix.

Press release:

Michael Barton Kropp, 49, of Coward Road, Byron, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st. Deputy Joseph Graff responded at 7:25 p.m. Monday to two reports of a suspicious vehicle on Ivison Road, Byron. Kropp's vehicle was located and he was arrested for allegedly driving drunk.

Jhenna Christine Warren, 23, of Daansen Road, Palmyra, is charged with possession of untaxed cigarettes. Warren was stopped at 3:33 p.m. Tuesday on Route 77, Alabama, by Deputy Joseph Corona for an alleged traffic violation and allegedly found in possession of cartons of untaxed cigarettes.

A 17-year-old resident of Ford Road, Elba, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child, 1st. The youth allegedly hosted an underage drinking party involving 20 people under age 21 at his residence last night.